My research stems from a motor control perspective, where I aim to understand the interplays existing between the individual, environment, and task. I am focused on how the central nervous system (CNS) integrates incoming information from these three features to execute effective movement control, especially in dual-task conditions. More specifically, my research focuses on how sensory information (i.e., vision) is processed through the system to achieve coordinated mobility. Vision may provide a distinct contribution to coordination through optic flow, as it contributes cues pertaining to position in space, navigation, and depth perception. Visual flow plays a critical role when performing complex tasks like walking, obstacle avoidance, and maintaining balance.
Through my theoretical research, I hope to move this understanding to clinical practice where this knowledge is applied to develop strategies that enhance movement control and cognitive-motor integration in individuals with motor impairments. By understanding how sensory information is processed and utilized by the CNS in dual-task scenarios, targeted interventions can be developed that improve movement accuracy, reduce fall risk, and aid in recovery from injuries or neurological conditions. These rehabilitation protocols can help restore independence and improve quality of life in populations where managing multiple tasks simultaneously is challenging.
I am a PhD Cotutelle candidate conducting research at the University of Guelph and the University of Bremen, under the supervision of Drs. Lori Ann Vallis and Marvin Wright. My research is centered on understanding children’s free-living movement behaviors, with a particular focus on sleep, physical activity (PA), and screen time. Utilizing wearable sensors, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, I aim to capture and analyze these behaviors more accurately via machine learning approaches. My current projects are dedicated to improving the measurement techniques we use in this field, ensuring that our data is both reliable and reflective of real-world activities. This work is crucial for developing more effective interventions to promote healthy behaviors in children. Additionally, I am part of the Guelph Family Health Study, where my research is focused on understanding the activity patterns and their determinants of young families in Guelph.
Kristen De Melo (PhD in progress). “The role of optic flow on postural control in the absence of overt movement”. September 2022 – current.
Email: demelok@uoguelph.ca
Hannah Coyle-Asbil (PhD in progress) “Exploring the use of accelerometers track low frequency free-living in preschool aged children enrolled in large Canadian and German based cohort studies” Sept 2021 – current.
Email: hcoyleas@uoguelph.ca
Background: My first experience with gait biomechanics research occurred during my BSc (Kinesiology) at the University of Prince Edward Island in 2018, leading me to join the University of Guelph Gait Biomechanics Lab for both my MSc (2020) and ongoing PhD training.
Current research interests: I am interested in how cognition and, in general, our central nervous system (CNS) informs and control locomotion. Evidence from the last 20+ years of locomotor research shows that gait is not a simple automatic task and requires some overt dedication of cognitive resources, and this cognitive requirement is greater when completing more complex, visually-driven movements. My main focus is on using biomechanical analysis techniques to explore the role of manipulating visual task characteristics in complex locomotor task performance and explore how relatively simple visual cues can impact gait behaviors, as well as how these effects on locomotor control changes across the lifespan.
Alongside these research questions, I am also passionate about investigating how locomotor control is impacted by neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, and ways in which the visual system may be utilized with an “eye” to help improve postural control and gait activities during day to day life.
Hi! I’m Katarina Osojnicki, a second-year Master of Science student in the Human Health and Nutritional Sciences program. My journey to the Gait Biomechanics Lab began during my third year at the University of Guelph, where I took Dr. Vallis’ “Principles of Biomechanics” class as an elective. That year, I started volunteering in her lab, which led to completing a fourth-year research thesis and literature review with her. Feeling that my research questions were not fully answered, I decided to pursue an MSc with Lori and now have less than a year before defending my thesis!
My research is part of the Guelph Family Health Study, a family-based intervention study aimed at cultivating healthy habits in families with children. Specifically, my work focuses on the sleep and physical activity of these young children who reside in Guelph, exploring how their current habits might impact their future health. This year, I had the incredible opportunity to spend five months in Bremen, Germany, for a research stay, collaborating with our partners at the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology. During this time, I expanded my study to include German children, investigating the relationship between their physical activity, sleep, and mental well-being.
Jenna Pitman (PhD in progress) “Investigating the role of cognitive processes in integrating visual information from complex, dynamic environments”. Sept 2020 – current.
Email: pitmanj@uoguelph.ca
Katarina Osojnicki (MSc in progress). “Exploring the relationship between sleep, physical activity (PA), and Canada’s 24-hour movement guidelines in preschool aged children“. May 2023 – current.
Email: kosojnic@uoguelph.ca
I have done previous collaborative research on the influence of real-world, visual stimuli on muscle activity and postural control, with regard to corresponding body positions and their associated changes in base of support in young adults. Currently, I am working on investigating the influence of visual stimuli on postural control and head rotation between different body positions in children. This data will be acquired from children between the ages of 7 to 10 with 29 retroreflective markers being tracked by an 8-camera OptiTrack system. Motive software will capture the motion of markers which can then be analyzed using Visual3D to produce center of mass (COM) acceleration as well as pitch, yaw and roll plane head rotation data with and without visual stimuli between changes in body position. The goal of this research is to generate an understanding as to whether certain visuomotor inputs may have more of an influence on COM acceleration and head rotation compared to others depending on body position.
My name is Hailey Mazenauer and I am in my third year studying bio-medical sciences. I am fairly new to Dr. Vallis’ lab and have spent the last year volunteering in data collection and helping with data processing. I am interested in learning more about how biomechanics can be applied to healthcare and what can be done to bridge the gap between laboratories and clinics. I am looking forward to improving my academic writing and presentation skills through my registration in research based courses in Fall 2024 / Winter 2025.
Julia De Oliviera (MSc in progress). “The Influence of Optic Flow on Posture Control in the Absence on Overt Movement Across Seated and Standing Positions”. Sept 2024- current.
Email: jdeolive@uoguelph.ca
Hailey Mazenauer (BSc in progress)
Email: hmazenau@uoguelph.ca
